13 animals of the Arctic

Life in the tundra

Most of us will never visit the Arctic Circle — and the residents of this northernmost region are perfectly happy with that. We're not talking about Eskimos; we're talking about the animals that call the Arctic home. Though the subzero temperatures and rugged boreal forests may seem bleak and unforgiving, many species thrive in the frigid tundra of the Arctic Circle.

Some of these animals you will have seen before, like the polar bear or the snowy owl (pictured), while others are more exotic, like the "unicorn of the sea" or the Canada lynx.